Hello Tigers!

Can you believe that we are entering a new school year?  The summer went by so fast it almost seems like yesterday we were preparing for Graduation.  We've had a very productive summer.  We have hit the ground running with schedule preparation, enrolling of new students, and preparing for the first semester.

The new school year is filled with excitement for us as we continue the academic and athletic successes from the previous school year.  As we enter into the 2010-2011 school year, we need to remember to stay focused on the task at hand.  For teachers, this means getting back to planning and preparing meaningful lessons, and for students, this means getting back to studying and learning.

Unfortunately, many students tend to sway from the previous successful study habits, but with dedication and self discipline, these habits soon resurface.  Other students may appear to struggle during test time, no matter how much they prepare.  It is vital that students be prepared and armed with effective study habits and test taking techniques.  There are test taking tips that might work with over coming the various hurdles that arise throughout the new school year:  

1. Read test directions carefully and thoroughly.
2. Read each question carefully to determine its meaning.
3. Read through all the answer choices before marking one as correct.
4. Look for synonyms in the answer choices that match words or phrases in the question.
5. Use context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
6. Eliminate answers that don't make sense.
7. When reading passages are involved, read the questions first to determine what you are looking for as you read the selection.
8. For math problems, use scratch paper and double check to make sure you've copied the problem correctly.
9. Pace your self to leave time for review at the end of the test.
10. Try to answer every question on the test.  Change answers only when you were very unsure of your original choices.

This list is only a few things that might assist students in overcoming test taking anxiety and in improving their test taking ability.  Also, as we see our seniors involved in their final year of high school, we should encourage them to strive to make this time the very best part of their academic careers.

We hope that this information assist you and your student.  Again, welcome and have a great year!